New Xorfc tribune,    Juno 19f 1940
¦
Senators Vote
Bill to Assist
Red Cross Ships
Would RelieveVessels From
Obtaining Safe-Conduct
Papers to Zones at War
WASHINGTON. June 18 (UP).—
The Senate Foreign Relations Com-
mittee, in a hurriedly called meet-
ing, approved today legislation
which would relieve. Bed, Cross ves-
sels from the necessity of obtain-
ing safe conduct papers to visit bel-
ligerent ports.
Chairman Key Pittman. Demo-
crat, of Nevada, explained that the
committee's emergency meeting was
due to the situation of the Red
Cross ship McKeesport, two days out
of New York, with $1,000,000 wortli
of food and medical supplies aboard.
Senator Pittman said the Germans
would not guarantee the condition
of the port of Bordeaux.
The legislation does not affect
sections of the neutrality act re-
quiring the Red Cross ships to ob-
tain a special permit to travel
through combat zones.
Urge Red Cross Aid First
The Communl'.y Chests and Coun-
cils. Inc.. the national association
of community chests, sent recom-
mendations yesterday to community
chests and councils of social agencies
throughout the country that they
withhold support from all war re-
lief campaigns except that of the
American Red Cross until the end
of the present Red Cross drive for
520,000.000. The group urged also
that, after the P?d Cross drive, care
he taken in the choice of appeals
to be aided.
Robert Cutler, president of the
association, said that a great num-
ber of unco-ordinated war relief ap-
peals had sprung up. He urged the
country's community chests to sup-
port, after the Red Cross drive,
"only those appeals for war relief
which clearly demonstrate that the
funds which they seek to raise are
necessary in order to provide aid
which the Red Cross is not then
rendering or does not propose to
render, and that such funds, if
raised, will be administered effec-
tively and economically."
At headquarters of the New York
Chapter of the Red Cross MaJ. Gen.
Robert C. Davis. U. S. A. (retired),
executive director, emphasized that
Red Cross help for war victims
would continue despite a French
surrender. He announced the chap-
ter had raised $1275.821 of its quota
of at least $2,000,000 for war relief.
Gifts Are Announced
He announced the following gifts:
SS.OoO—Mrs. Amclie M. Upshur.
$.1,000—Asiatic Petroleum Corp.
$1 .ISO—Consolidated Edison Co.. N. T..
Inc. (Additional).
SI .'-'SO—Anonymous.
Si.ooo—Phelps Dodge Corp.
$004.1.1—Employees of United States
Steel Corp. and of the 71 Broadway
Corp.
$.100—Baker  &   Williams. Chrysler.
New York Co., Inc.. Mount Slnal
School of Nursing, James Stewart
& Company. Mr. and Mrs. Joslah I
C. Thau, John S. Williams.
Col. J. H. Bigley. executive direc-
tor of the Red Cross In Brooklyn,
announced that $132,714.54 had been
raised for war relief so far. He said
that $1,411.94 had been raised in the
22d Assembly District and $500 had
been contributed by the Greater
New York Savings Bank.
Tlie Overseas Service League, of
315 Lexington Avenue, a group of
200 women who served as nurses,
aids, canteen workers, librarians
and clerks with the Red Cross over-
seas during the World War, an-
nounce I yesterday that they had
sent to Senators in Washington a
resolution unanimously adopted by
the group urging the immediate re-
peal of legislation hampering aid to
Great Britain and France. A spokes-
man said the members had "a strong
feeling of loyalty" to the former,
Allies. France and Great Britain,
but "I think they feel only contempt
for Italy in her present role."